Police Chief James Held will retire in two months after 31 years on the job, Mayor Don Schoenheider announced during an April 18 meeting of the Lake Forest City Council.
Held started as a patrol officer with the Lake Forest Police Department in 1985 and later served as an investigator and sergeant in the department, according to the Lake Forest city website. In 2004, he was promoted to commander and in 2012 was appointed police chief.
Last fall, Held was a finalist for a position as police chief in River Falls, Wisc. The position ultimately went to a candidate from the Detroit area. Held said after the meeting that this time he has only retirement in mind.
Deputy Police Chief Karl Walldorf will take over as the new police chief, officials said.
Also retiring is Eric C. Podowski who is leaving the Lake Forest Fire Department on April 21. Podowski, who started in January 1991, served as a firefighter paramedic, fire investigator, fire inspector, public education provider, bike medic and CPR instructor among other roles, according to the city website.
In other news, the city council created a new category of liquor license called C-4 in response to a request by the downtown Starbucks to sell beer and wine.
Previously, the city would allow license-holders to also sell hard liquor. Starbucks, which plans to move to 672 Western Avenue from its current location on Bank Lane, will be able to sell beer and wine from 5 p.m. until closing time.
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